We’ve made it to Sunday and it’s the final day of Bloodstock 2023. With the weather feeling unsettled between the rain and sunshine, one thing’s for sure and that’s the fact we know we’ve got an incredible line up of metal of every kind to soothe our souls.
Waking us up on the main stage this morning are Dead Label with some groove/metalcore. Despite the rain, a healthy crowd is gathered to watch these guys and they’re ready to rock out. Against the steady and driving beats from drummer Claire Percival the band headbang along the front line in unison and quickly have the crowd joining in. Frontman Dan O’Grady is taking no prisoners this morning as he makes sure that the fans out in force this morning are bouncing and opening up a circle pit. He even manages to get a Wall of Death all before 11:30 in the morning! All the while, guitarists Danny Hall and Mick Hynes provide groove-laden riffs and melodies that perfectly complement each other and O’Gradys powerful vocal ability. The band’s unison on stage is captivating to watch as they perform an incredibly tight set. The Irish 4-piece have started the day strong and made sure that we’re all wide awake.
Up next it’s time for something a little different with some Mongolian throat singing from Uuhai. Fusing heavy metal with traditional Mongolian sounds, this style of music has become hugely popular over the last few years and this is reflected in the crowd surrounding the stage. The contrast between the traditional instruments and clothing to the modern makes a striking image on the stage. These guys have caught the right balance between the 2 styles that leaves plenty of room for admiring those more specialist sounds as well as room for chanting and singing in a more traditional metal show style. The talent these guys show is incredible and it appears I’m not the only one who feels this way as with a Mongolian flag waving proudly in the audience they clearly bring fans from far and wide to see their shows. There really is something special about this band that captivates your attention and leaves you wanting more. From the highly catchy music to the performance these guys give, they are a definite highlight of the weekend.
Taking us to the end of the first third of the day are All Hail The Yeti. The American Heavy Metal band have a slightly delayed start but as the classic “Danger Zone” plays over the sound system, the crowd are ready to get going. With the band now on stage, they go full pedal to the metal with their aggressive sound. As they kick into “Headless Valley” both the band and the crowd are well into their groove headbanging away. Guitarist Dave Vanderlinde is clearly putting his all into this show as he puts on a performance that you can’t take your eyes away from. Conner Garritty is a fantastic frontman however as he gears the crowd up with both his performance and interaction with the crowd. The band have a hugely heavy sound that holds influences from stoner/sludge to the more frantic metalcore, all blended into tracks that you can’t help but bang your head to. These guys cover all the bases in their set today leaving the crowd feeling well and truly rocked.
Photography: Mark Ellis
Review Emmie Ellis
